Senior RF Communications Engineer: Tactical Link & SATCOM

SWITCH; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SWITCH is seeking a Senior RF Communications Engineer to own the performance of communication systems on unmanned aerial platforms. You will lead the design, integration, verification, and optimisation of reliable RF and data-link architectures, including telemetry, video and IP communications, using MIMO, SATCOM, and advanced RF tech.

You will evaluate RF environments, perform link analyses, and drive lab, field, and flight validation activities while maintaining thorough documentation and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, RF/Microwave Engineering or related.
• 5+ years of practical RF communications experience in safety- and mission-critical environments.
• Experience developing, integrating and validating RF communication systems from architecture to deployment.
• Strong RF fundamentals: link budgets, receiver sensitivity, noise figure, propagation, fading, antennas, transmission lines.
• Experience with antenna systems, MIMO, MANET, SATCOM or advanced wireless platforms.

Responsibilities

• Define communication solutions with primary, backup, contingency, and emergency paths.
• Convert operational requirements into technical specs covering range, bandwidth and latency.
• Perform RF link analysis, propagation modelling, interference evaluation, and margin calculations.
• Integrate and configure tactical radios, antennas, SATCOM, tracking systems and IP comms.
• Lead antenna integration activities and manage RF hardware requirements.
• Optimise parameters such as frequency selection, bandwidth, and transmit power.
• Analyse communication performance indicators and troubleshoot RF/network issues.
• Plan and execute laboratory, field, vehicle and flight validation activities.
• Maintain technical documentation and monitor emerging tech in tactical comms and SATCOM.

Skills

RF/Microwave

Link budgeting

Antenna integration

MIMO

SATCOM

Tactical networks

Lab & field testing

Documentation

RF front-end design

Propagation modelling

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering / Telecommunications / RF/Microwave Engineering / Applied Physics

Tools

MATLAB

RF test equipment

Antenna measurement gear

Job description

SWITCH is seeking a Senior RF Communications Engineer to own the performance of communication systems on unmanned aerial platforms. You will lead the design, integration, verification, and optimisation of reliable RF and data-link architectures, including telemetry, video and IP communications, using MIMO, SATCOM, and advanced RF tech.

You will evaluate RF environments, perform link analyses, and drive lab, field, and flight validation activities while maintaining thorough documentation and